Why Is God A He?

[Khalsa4ever]

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

In the same way that God is described as "he" all humanity is described in Gurbani as "she". We are constantly referred to in gurbani as the "soul-bride", in our "marriage" with God.

Its just a reference...

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

[davindervirk]

In opinion I think that god is either a man or women, remember god has many form. Every religion tells us that there is one god. How we image him that how he is. Each person has different ideas or him but the message is the same. In Christianity they change their ideas all the time. Ex: the old bible and the new one.

[RupZ]

God's energy is both Male and Female.

[Guest Gupt Singhni]

Like what everyone else said, God does not have a form God can be either male or female. We just use 'he' because in Gurbani it usually states all humans as the soul-bride and God the husband. Also God refers to he and Goddess if for she.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

[Pwalla!]

Waheguroo ji ka khalsa, waheguroo ji ki fateh

Gurbani tells us,

har // naar suhaavanee mai bhaavai prabh soe ||

With the Lord as her Husband, the soul-bride is happy; I, too, love that God.

saej eaek eaeko prabh t(h)aakur mehal n paavai manamukh bharameeaa ||

There is one bed for the soul-bride, and the same bed for God, her Lord and Master. The self-willed manmukh does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; she wanders around, in limbo.

We are the brides and our beloved is the husband.

jaae pushhahu sohaaganee thusee raaviaa kinee guna(n)aee ||

Go, and ask the happy soul-brides, ""By what virtuous qualities do you enjoy your Husband Lord?""

There are to many thuks from gurbani about this topic.

Waheguroo ji ka khalsa, waheguroo ji ki fateh

[Sarbloh]

As far as I can make out Gurbani does not specifically describe a gender for God. Unfortunately, when translating, the real meaning cannot be properly conveyed without using Him/His/He/Brotherhood, S/He, etc but this distorts the meaning by giving the impression that God is masculine – which I don’t think is the message of our Gurus. We as Sikhs must allow for this every time we read translations.

[Gurbar Akaal]

Gurbani mentions that we are the soul brides of Akaal Purakh, and people automatically get the idea that Akaal must be male. This relationship is used by the Guru to provoke a human feeling within the reader, something they can relate to. To imagine the love a woman has for her husband, the innocent, undying, unconditional love is easier to relate to and invoke within the soul, than it is to imagine a being that is beyond colour, caste, race, sex, form, mark. Once the love for god wells up inside the person then it becomes easier to look past dualistic characteristics such as male / female.

Sunn Mandal Ik Yogi Baise. Naar Na purakh Kahahu Kou Kaise. Tribhavan Joti Rahe Liv Laaee. Sur Nar Naath Sache Saranaaee (Adi Guru Darbar – 689)

The Yogi, the Primal Lord, sits in the deepest Samaadhi. (Since God) is neither male nor female; how can anyone describe Him? The three worlds center their attention on His Light. The godly beings and the Yogic masters seek the Sanctuary of this True Lord

The soul bride analogy can be seen as a beginners approach to meditation, to derive focus for the Sikh, to channel the relationship and love from physical to spiritual. Since man is a physical being, man is limited in his understanding of those things beyond the physical realm.

[Alias Prince]

waheguru ji has no gender guru maharaj ji uses metaphors in gurbani when they are explaining the frame of mind and uses the husband lord and the soul brides concept - i think please correct me if i am wrong as i am most of the time

[muurakh (forgive me...)]

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh

Most people have said in their replies that god has no gender, no form etc. and this can be found in gurbani (as above) that god is genderless, and also from meanings of moolmantar and jaap sahib.

but, as the original question states:

"Why do people refer to God as He, Him, Etc???"

Why is god refered to as 'he' in gurbani as well, why is the metaphor, of God being the 'husband', used.

God is refered to in the male sense, vaise tan God has no gender etc that is correct. but i believe it is to do with the difference in certain planes between the male and female. Although male and female are equal they have a 'place' a role as well, which deffers.

we are all one jot, god is everywhere in everyone, everywhere is god. When God is refered to as 'he' i think it is a metaphor in the sense that the male is, factually-generally-naturally, stronger-the provider, and in terms of worldly affairs in working and providing in his area he is better and more effecient.

this is where the feminists come in and say 'are you saying women are weaker, we're not as good, are you belittling us?'

No it's a mere fact, that's what they don't get sometimes :umm: , it has nothing to do with equality.

Men and women are equal in the eyes of god, spiritually men and women are equal, but the facts in this world can not be denied.

men and women have functions, they are different but equally important,

where the woman has to give birth, while she is in that state, at least, the male provides. say what you like but for that small period of time the male is the sole provider and the woman must give birth. i say for that period of time because people may argue that a woman can work while carrying a child etc etc. but there is a time when the roles become clear if you like.

had a loooong rahao there cause of mum, lost the flow .

so the roles are different and it's the males role to be protective, providing, strong, leading. so in this way god is described in the male sense.

If we said Vaheguru kardi hai, some'd say there's nothing wrong with that. But it just feels wrong/weird, because from how we're brought up, taught and how we percieve Vaheguru.

But actually it is wrong... this is because we are soul brides - females and Vaheguru is our husband. and unless you are a brahmgiani, and one with Vaheguru - jeevan mukt, you can and really should only refer to Vaheguru as 'he' your husband.

Forgive me if i'm wrong or offended anyone. anything i have written is what i've learned from sangat and Vaheguru does everything himself and if any of it's wrong it's through my misunderstanding.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh

[Guest Gupt Singhni]

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh

Most people have said in their replies that god has no gender, no form etc. and this can be found in gurbani (as above) that god is genderless, and also from meanings of moolmantar and jaap sahib.

but, as the original question states:

"Why do people refer to God as He, Him, Etc???"

Why is god refered to as 'he' in gurbani as well, why is the metaphor, of God being the 'husband', used.

God is refered to in the male sense, vaise tan God has no gender etc that is correct. but i believe it is to do with the difference in certain planes between the male and female. Although male and female are equal they have a 'place' a role as well, which deffers.

we are all one jot, god is everywhere in everyone, everywhere is god. When God is refered to as 'he' i think it is a metaphor in the sense that the male is, factually-generally-naturally, stronger-the provider, and in terms of worldly affairs in working and providing in his area he is better and more effecient.

this is where the feminists come in and say 'are you saying women are weaker, we're not as good, are you belittling us?'

No it's a mere fact, that's what they don't get sometimes :umm: , it has nothing to do with equality.

Men and women are equal in the eyes of god, spiritually men and women are equal, but the facts in this world can not be denied.

men and women have functions, they are different but equally important,

where the woman has to give birth, while she is in that state, at least, the male provides. say what you like but for that small period of time the male is the sole provider and the woman must give birth. i say for that period of time because people may argue that a woman can work while carrying a child etc etc. but there is a time when the roles become clear if you like.

had a loooong rahao there cause of mum, lost the flow .

so the roles are different and it's the males role to be protective, providing, strong, leading. so in this way god is described in the male sense.

If we said Vaheguru kardi hai, some'd say there's nothing wrong with that. But it just feels wrong/weird, because from how we're brought up, taught and how we percieve Vaheguru.

But actually it is wrong... this is because we are soul brides - females and Vaheguru is our husband. and unless you are a brahmgiani, and one with Vaheguru - jeevan mukt, you can and really should only refer to Vaheguru as 'he' your husband.

Forgive me if i'm wrong or offended anyone. anything i have written is what i've learned from sangat and Vaheguru does everything himself and if any of it's wrong it's through my misunderstanding.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh

Why are you bringing up the equality issue regarding males and females? I strongly disagree with everything you said. Yes a female may be weaker physically than males but the KHALSA is different. The Khalsa can be beyond bodily form. It’s naam which can make someone protective, providing, strong, leading, not the gender of someone. And there are no separate roles.

Also Gurbani refers Vaheguru as our mother and it doesn’t sound ‘wrong/weird’ to think of God as a female.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh